Two Togolese jailed 39 years for robbery

Two Togolese who attacked a trader with a machete at Aflao and bolted with her phone have been jailed.

The convicts, Bruno Daforlenyame and Jean Atigah, were sentenced to 24 years and 15 years imprisonment, respectively by the Keta Circuit Court.

Although the two denied committing a crime of robbery when they appeared before the court in February last year, the court, presided over by Mr Kwame Polley, found them culpable of the crime and sentenced them accordingly.

How it happened

The prosecutor, Chief Inspector Seth Apau, told the court that on January 30 last year, around 12 midnight, the trader, Mabel Doamekpor, met the two convicts while returning from the border after delivering some items at the Customs barracks, near the border post office.

The two, who had a machete, reportedly ordered her to hand over her Tecno Phantom 9 phone, valued at GH¢1,700 to them.

Although she resisted, Daforlenyame reportedly pushed her down and forcibly took the phone from her.

The complainant then reported the matter to the Aflao Police and on February 3, 2020, upon reliable information Daforlenyame was arrested.

According to the prosecutor, Daforlenyame admitted the offence in his caution statement and led the police to arrest Atigah who was in possession of the phone.

Upon interrogation, Atigah said he had sold the phone for 60,000 CFA, the equivalent of GH¢576 in Lome, Togo.

With the assistance of the police in Lome, the phone was retrieved from the buyer.

After investigations, the two were charged with the offence and arraigned.